Keane Foundation Looking At New Ways To Give

WETHERSFIELD — After 14 successful years, the Richard M. Keane Foundation is modifying its method of giving and inviting more Wethersfield organizations to submit applications for funding.

The foundation, created in memory of Wethersfield resident Richard M. Keane, who died in New York City on 9/11, will move away from running programs and toward giving grants to support activities, foundation president Judy Keane said. The change will allow the foundation to support more activities and give away more of its growing surplus, Keane said.

"We would rather promote other programs than reinvent the wheel ourselves," said Keane, Richard Keane's wife. "It's going to be easier for us to support these other programs."

The mission of the foundation is to support, sustain and develop sports, fitness, recreation and educational programs in Wethersfield. The foundation spent about $63,000 in the last fiscal year in pursuit of its mission.

The foundation's initial goal was to build a recreation center, which it realized with the completion of the 9/11 Memorial Sports Center in 2008. Since then, it has carried out a number of initiatives, including an after-school program at the sports center.

One change the foundation is pursuing is to turn over its after-school program to the local schools. Instead of running a central program as it now does, the charity wants to give each school a grant so it can operate its own program, saving money because transportation to the sports center would not longer be needed, Keane said. The change is still under discussion, she said.

"It's not cast in stone yet," Keane said.

The foundation also supports the Wethersfield food bank and programs at the senior center. In addition, it funds the elementary school running clubs, Saturday drop-in basketball, kids vacation day programs at the sports center and other activities and programs.

"These things will all continue," Keane said.

Last week, the foundation made a $25,000 grant to the school system for science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — education. The foundation was able to make the donation after winning an education grant from Voya Financial, Keane said.

The Keane Foundation raises money through a variety of activities, including sale of luminaria candles at Christmas. The votive candles come in a bag of sand and are lit and put outside homes on Christmas Eve and burn through the night. The candles are $1.50 each and available at Wethersfield Travel at 219 Main St. in Old Wethersfield.

Anyone interested in applying for a grant from the Keane Foundation should visit its website, http://www.keanefoundation.org/. The application deadline is March 31.